It seems like yesterday that we began our Lenten journey on Ash Wednesday. We come now to the reason for that journey - Holy Week, including the Sacred Triduum (the Sacred Three Days). It is for what we have been preparing. Beginning this Sunday, as we celebrate Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem, to his giving himself in the Eucharist at the Last Supper, to the events of his Passion and Death on Good Friday, to his glorious Resurrection, when he conquered sin and death for each of us, we get to experience the very essence of our lives.
Holy Week gives us the opportunity to go on a pilgrimage with the Lord through these very real events of our salvation. Each of the liturgies throughout the week draws us into these actual moments. These are not fictional stories to teach us a lesson, but rather the true story that has allowed us to live in the hope of eternal life.
It is easy to allow Holy Week to pass by as just another yearly ritual. This would be an opportunity wasted. Yes, God-willing, there will be many more Holy Weeks in our lives but think about what we wouldn't have if it wasn't for Holy Week.
So where are each of us at this moment? This Sunday starts Holy Week 2026. We are nearing the finish line of our Lenten marathon. For some of us, it may seem like a sprint. In a blink of an eye, we went from having ashes imposed on our foreheads to preparing to wave palm branches again, recalling Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. In between then and now, many of us tried different things to boost our spiritual life. We tried adding prayer time. We fasted from some of the many things that distract us from who should be the top priority of our lives. For some, it helped us lose weight, for others it preserved some battery life on our phones. Hopefully, everyone had some experience that brought them closer to the Lord.
However, it would all be wasted if we ignored Holy Week. Lent is not meant to merely be a self-help program, designed to better our lives. While it has that potential, it should never leave us feeling we can accomplish our well-being purely on our own. Lent should remind us that we need a savior and most importantly that we have a savior.
Lent is meant to draw us into the events of Holy Week. Even if we feel like we dropped the ball many times this Lent, those disappointments are reality checks of our need for a savior. We had ashes placed on foreheads not as sign or strength, but as an acknowledgment of our weaknesses.
It is time to place ourselves in the story of Holy Week. This is not a fictional story but a story of true events, which shows us the most important Truth of our lives. We are not left for orphans but have been saved by the God who loves us. No matter how you assess your Lenten journey, it is time to connect with the most important week in human history.
- The Servant
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